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Coast Guard Launches Review Of Sexual Assault Claims At Academy; GOP Presidential Hopeful Asa Hutchinson Joins CNN; Barbie Is Pretty In Pink, But Is She Still Profitable? Aired 7:30-8a ET

Aired July 14, 2023 - 07:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[07:32:00]

PHIL MATTINGLY, CNN ANCHOR: New this morning, a brawl breaking out at Kosovo's Parliament during Thursday's session and it was all captured on camera.

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Brawl in Kosovo's Parliament.

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MATTINGLY: That's Kosovo's prime minister who was speaking when he was interrupted by an opposition MP who threw water in his face. Instantly, a fistfight ensued between the ruling party and opposition members. Kosovo's president condemned the fight while Albania's prime minister called it shameful.

PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a top U.S. senator is calling for an inspector general's investigation into the Coast Guard's mishandling of sexual assault allegations. And it comes after CNN reported the Coast Guard uncovered -- covered up, I should say, a damning report that found it mishandled dozens of cases of substantiated sexual abuse and rape. You saw it here first on CNN THIS MORNING. And now lawmakers are demanding answers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COMMANDANT ADMIRAL LINDA FAGAN, U.S. COAST GUARD: We failed to provide the safe environment that every member of the Coast Guard deserves.

BROWN (voice-over): Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan apologizing at a congressional hearing.

SEN. TED CRUZ (R-TX): The Coast Guard tragically failed to protect its most valuable assets.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is disturbing and unacceptable.

SEN. MARIA CANTWELL (D-WASHINGTON'S FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT): It is heartbreaking, maddening, frustrating, and intolerable.

BROWN (voice-over): Dozens of substantiated cases of sexual abuse and rape were found during an investigation dubbed Operation Fouled Anchor, but Coast Guard leaders never shared that information -- not even with Congress.

Sen. Maria Cantwell saying she's asking for an inspector general's investigation.

CANTWELL: We cannot tolerate the fact that the Coast Guard did not notify us of this. We cannot have the media be the policemen on the beat.

BROWN (voice-over): Fagan announcing the Coast Guard launched its own 90-day review of what went wrong.

FAGAN: Full transparency and accountability in the system, not just for perpetrators but for leaders who fail to abide by the policies that we've got in place.

BROWN (voice-over): Operation Fouled Anchor ran from 2014 to 2019 but only looked at assault cases from the late '80s to 2006, leaving a major gap in the findings.

Instead of releasing the information and fostering change, Coast Guard officials kept it all secret until CNN called. Fagan has only been commandant for a year.

FAGAN: When the CNN investigation started asking questions, that was when I first became aware of the totality of the Fouled Anchor.

KERRY KARWIN, FORMER COAST GUARD MEMBER: The Coast Guard has failed the victims.

BROWN (voice-over): Kerry Karwin is one of more than a dozen former cadets who have told CNN about their assaults at the academy. Hers happened in 1995. She even wrote about the incident in her journal at the time saying a football player came to her room, bit my neck, and felt up my chest.

KARWIN: Luckily, I got away and he left, but he said he was going to come back and finish what he started. Then I was terrified.

BROWN (voice-over): She says had the Coast Guard taken action on assaults like hers decades ago, perhaps other victims would have been spared, like this woman -- a recent graduate of the academy who says she was raped three times as a cadet.

[07:35:03]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was completely toxic and devastating to my sense of self.

BROWN (on camera): So you have to wonder if they had released this report if they had done more to crack down on sexual assault how your experience would have been different. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I often find myself wondering what my future would have been like. And time and time again, the academy and the institution don't protect their people. They did nothing to save me when I was asking for help and it's devastating.

BROWN (voice-over): Many of the alleged perpetrators graduate from the academy and went on to high-ranking positions in the Coast Guard or other branches of the military.

FAGAN: We've got a culture in areas that is permissive and allows sexual assaults, harassment, bullying, retaliation that is inconsistent with our core values. We have got work to do.

CANTELL: Admiral, it's very frustrating to hear that you think there is a culture of assault at the Coast Guard.

FAGAN: We do not have a culture of assault in the Coast Guard but we are not where we need to be. There are -- just like on a ship when you have rust, we've got pockets of rust that need to be eliminated from the organization to ensure that there's no silence around it. That every victim feels safe coming forward.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BROWN: And we should note that right after this hearing I was supposed to do a sit-down interview with Adm. Fagan, who you just saw right there, but the Coast Guard backed out last-minute.

One of the key questions we still have is how much she and other leaders knew about the report -- current leaders. As you heard her say in this hearing, Phil, she said she didn't know the totality about Operation Fouled Anchor until CNN started asking questions. And she admits -- she did admit that she knew some about it.

And so, the question -- the obvious follow-up question would be look, you knew some about it --

MATTINGLY: Yes.

BROWN: -- so why didn't you follow up? Why didn't you, at that time, try to understand the totality? Why didn't you, at that time, brief Congress?

And it's also interesting because she kept noting that this was very much in the past, right? This is the past. We're in a new era in the Coast Guard Academy. But we spoke to at least six cadets who say they were recently sexually assaulted.

And you heard the one that I interviewed there who was in shadow who said she felt like she was the one who was punished and that the predators -- those who sexually assaulted her went on to thrive and were essentially awarded.

So, you know, it is -- it's really interesting and hopefully, we will get the opportunity to do that sit-down interview. MATTINGLY: Well, you should. And I also -- like, I can say this because I'm not actually on the story -- what you're saying implicitly. Totality is a loaded and lawyered word and when you hear --

BROWN: It is.

MATTINGLY: -- that you realize all right, there are questions that need to be answered.

BROWN: Yes.

MATTINGLY: It was great reporting. It's a great piece.

BROWN: And just quickly to give a shoutout to our team of Melanie Hicken and Blake Ellis. This was a whole team effort.

MATTINGLY: Yes, a great team it is.

All right. The first Republican debate -- it's less than six weeks away -- we're counting. And we're getting a look at the qualified and who is coming up short.

BROWN: We're going to speak with 2024 presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson about his push to make the stage, next.

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[07:42:02]

BROWN: With less than six weeks to go until the first Republican presidential debate, the race is on to make the stage. These are the candidates who, as of today, say they have met the donor threshold of 40,000 individual donations to qualify. Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Tim Scott, and Vivek Ramaswamy. I totally botched that. Ramaswamy -- my bad.

They, of course, also have to hit at least one percent in three national polls or a combination of national and state polls. And sign a pledge to support the eventual nominee.

Governor Asa Hutchinson is among those who has notched one percent in one national poll but, so far, he has not reached the donor threshold. This photo of an event he held on Tuesday in Iowa has some suggesting that he has a tough road ahead of him. The picture has gone viral because it appears to show just six people in attendance.

And joining us now is former Arkansas governor, Asa Hutchinson. Thank you so much for coming on, Governor.

So, did that photo accurately depict how many people showed up, and what do you say to those who see that as a sign that your campaign just isn't catching on?

ASA HUTCHINSON, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, whenever you look at my campaign in Iowa, where I am today, we've had large crowds, we've had small crowds. And, you know, there's some benefit to meeting with a small group of people where they get to ask questions. So let's not diminish the small things in a campaign -- they add up -- and I enjoy that question and answer.

So the small crowd that's depicted there actually was in a restaurant where I was shaking hands. And I enjoy that kind of engagement here in Iowa.

Our campaign is moving forward every day. I'm so delighted that we did meet the threshold for the polling requirement and now we've got to meet the donor threshold. So everybody can help by going to asa2024.com and help us to get that threshold to be on the debate.

BROWN: Well -- and on that note, at last check, you had told The New York Times you had more than 5,000 donors. That is quite a ways from the 40,000 you need to make the debate stage next month. Can you make up the difference in the next month?

HUTCHINSON: We can. It's really encouraging to me to see over 1,000 new donors every week coming into our campaign. When you think about that nationally that's a significant number. We want to escalate that. So we'll make it. It's just a question of how quickly we can get there.

But we want to be on that debate stage. The voters expect the candidates to be there. They don't like artificial restrictions to keep candidates off because this is the first time they have an opportunity to really see the candidates in relation to each other. How they mix and match on the issues. Where the differences are. And how they're going to contrast with Joseph Biden and his failed policies.

BROWN: Some of your rivals have come up with creative ways to incentivize donations from individuals, like offering a 10 percent commission to people who bring in donations. Others are offering these gift cards or a raffle for college tuition money.

[07:45:00]

What do you think of those strategies? Would you try something like this?

HUTCHINSON: Well, sure. But it also just illustrates how silly this whole concept is. They're telling campaigns you've got to reach to these limits to make sure you get 40,000 donors. You can do that by your rhetoric and getting people fired up. You can do it by gimmicks. And so, we're going to have to do what we need to do to get there.

But I'm just pleased with the response that we get. People want the candidates on the debate stage. And I've never seen an issue about the criteria for the debate being so well-known among the public. You can go to any restaurant and they've heard about the 40,000 criteria. And so, that's actually fun to see the response and how people want to help the candidates to get there.

BROWN: So it sounds like you're not a big fan of the policy but, in some ways, it's been fun to connect with voters in that way.

So, The New York Times recently framed your campaign as selling Bush- era Republicanism but adding that, quote, "Buyers Are Scarce."

Does the tepid support you have seen so far suggests that your brand of politics just may not have a home in today's Republican Party?

HUTCHINSON: Well, actually, there's been a good response. And I tell the story that the highest compliment I have had as a candidate is that they say you're normal -- and normal is not bad for somebody who wants to run a country without chaos.

And with the experience that I bring as head of the DEA and Homeland Security. Whenever you look at my balancing a budget as governor, lowering taxes, my work in Congress. The last time we balanced the federal budget. These are leadership experiences that are critical to our nation.

I've handled crisis. I understand law enforcement. I understand violence in our cities and what needs to be done.

And so, people yearn for solutions. And when you get into these small groups, large groups, they're talking about fentanyl. They're asking about our relationship with China. These are serious issues that we face and it's an opportunity to make sure we can talk about the policies that bring our country forward. And normal is not bad in contrast to chaos.

BROWN: All right, let me ask you. You're going to be attending the Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines today along with other candidates. Iowa's Gov. Kim Reynolds is expected to sign a new law banning abortion after six weeks as early as today.

We know you've signaled support for a 15-week federal ban. So is Iowa, in your view, making a mistake? Is it too restrictive?

HUTCHINSON: No. That's -- every state should make their determination on this. And while there's a debate about a national abortion policy it's most likely going to continue at the state level.

And I think Gov. Kim Reynolds has done a good job on this. The Iowa legislature has passed that six-week bill twice now. It's a heartbeat bill that says if the unborn child has a -- has a detectable heartbeat then abortion is not permissible under those circumstances.

And so, I support what Iowa has done and today we'll be talking about that. Also, I would just say that Gov. Reynolds being attacked by former President Trump for being neutral is pretty ridiculous if you want to carry Iowa. And so, all of those will be topics of conversation. But I support Gov. Reynolds and what she has done with the legislature in protecting unborn life.

BROWN: So let me just ask you about that because I went back and read your op-ed on the 2021 transgender youth treatment ban. You vetoed that. And in the op-ed you talk about how it was government overreach. That the government should not be intervening in people's personal lives. That these were sensitive and complex issues.

So how does that view square with your views on the Iowa bill and also this federal ban on abortion with the Republican principles you've touted about not allowing government intervention in personal, private affairs?

HUTCHINSON: Well, I've consistently been pro-life throughout my public career. And whenever you're looking at life in the womb that deserves a protection. Whenever you look at parental decision-making there's certainly a level. For example, I think it's impermissible for a parent to say there ought to be transition surgery for a minor. But there's a place that you can go too far in restricting parents' decision-making when it comes to the health care of the children.

So you've got -- these are areas that you've got to have serious debate and discussions on.

BROWN: But what about, like, a teenager whose parents -- what about a teenager -- a 14-year-old whose parents want their -- that child to get an abortion? I mean, wouldn't that impose in the same way you're saying the transgender bill would have?

[07:50:50]

HUTCHINSON: Well, first of all, you'd have to comply with the law of that state. The parents would have to provide permission or would have to go to a judge for an independent review of that and the voluntariness of it. And so, there are some protections in there, again, for the life.

These are -- and every issue we talk about -- when you're talking about parents' role in health care or vaccinations, or whether you're talking about the parents' role in giving consent for health care, these are areas that the legislature and at the lowest level of government ought to make these determinations.

And to the extent possible, governments should stay out. But certainly, whenever you're looking at protection of life, whenever you're talking about inalterable decisions for the future, then there's a role for the state to come in and say that goes too far.

I vetoed the legislation in Arkansas because it was unconstitutional and the federal judge found exactly that.

BROWN: All right, Asa Hutchinson. Thank you for your time.

We'll be right back.

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MATTINGLY: Well, Pam, I think you know it's Barbie's world --

BROWN: It is.

MATTINGLY: -- and it's open for business. I was going to own that line no matter what. It's open for business. Since the iconic doll was launched back in 1959 by toy company Mattel, Barbie has captured the hearts of millions across the globe. And now, her own live-action film debuting next week.

CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich has more.

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VANESSA YURKEVICH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Barbara Millicent Roberts -- you know her as Barbie -- parents, Mattel -- born in 1959, but doesn't look a day over 19.

[07:55:05]

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone had a Barbie and it was the thing to have a Barbie.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Next week, Barbie comes to life in a new movie with an English director and actors --

RYAN GOSLING, ACTOR, "BARBIE": Hi, Barbie.

MARGOT ROBBIE, ACTRESS, "BARBIE": Hi, Ken.

YURKEVICH: -- distributed by CNN's parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.

RICHARD DICKSON, PRESIDENT AND COO, MATTEL: It's an incredibly important milestone for the brand.

YURKEVICH: Barbie, beloved by girls and boys around the world, has had ups and downs.

DICKSON: Back in 2014-15 we hit a low, and it was a moment to reflect in the context of why did Barbie lose relevance? She didn't reflect the physicality -- the look if you will of the world around us.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Now, Barbie, Ken, and friends have many different skin tones, shapes, and special traits that make them look more like us. But this year's first-quarter sales at Mattel slumped, down 22 percent from last year's.

YURKEVICH (on camera): How is Mattel and Barbie viewed as a brand?

KATIE MANCINI, GENERAL MANAGER, LANDOR & FITCH BRANDING: There's been a lot of decline in that differentiation and in that relevance that keep a brand fresh and top of mind from a purchase perspective. And when that happens, brands go into a place of fatigue.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Mattel hopes this new movie will give them the boost they're looking for.

DICKSON: We also now have the opportunity to reach new ages and stages that ultimately, from a business perspective, provides huge merchandising and monetization opportunities.

YURKEVICH (on camera): We're standing in front of --

ILENE GAYER, OWNER HOM BOM TOYS: Barbie.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): At Hom Bom Toys, owner Ilene Gayer can't keep movie Barbie on the shelf.

GAYER: Within a day they were gone.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Have you always had Barbie --

GAYER: Absolutely.

YURKEVICH (on camera): -- and Ken, and friends in-store?

GAYER: Absolutely. It's a staple. It's the moms and dads who are more nostalgic than the kids.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): But that nostalgia isn't for everyone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know how she's evolved.

YURKEVICH (on camera): Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like, does she have a college degree now?

YURKEVICH (voice-over): The movie has calculated for that.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, ACTRESS, "BARBIE": We haven't played with Barbies since we were like five years old.

ROBBIE: Oh.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): And for others, you're never too old for Barbie.

CAROL SPENCER, FORMER BARBIE CLOTHING DESIGNER, MATTEL 1963-1998: I am 90 years old -- or I should say 90 years young.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): Carol Spencer didn't grow up playing with Barbies --

SPENCER: This was my first project.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): -- but Barbie wouldn't be, well, Barbie without her.

SPENCER: I was a designer for the Barbie doll starting in 1963 for over 35 years, and I loved every minute of it.

YURKEVICH (voice-over): While Carol helped make Barbie, Barbie helped make Mattel. As other toys have come and gone, Barbie is still strutting.

SPENCER: Barbie really carried Mattel for a great many years. I thought of every child who played with a Barbie doll as my child. So let me tell you, I have a big family and I love it. YURKEVICH (voice-over): And that is the magic and power of Barbie.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

YURKEVICH: And in 1959 when Barbie debuted, she was a teen fashion model. They then evolved her into a fashion designer. But people started asking could Barbie be more than that, not that there's anything wrong with those careers. But then we saw surgeon Barbie, lawyer Barbie. And Pam, here we are. We are reporter Barbie.

BROWN: Wow.

YURKEVICH: And here we are -- we are camerawoman --

BROWN: Oh my God, I love it.

YURKEVICH: -- Barbie. So, you know, the evolution of Barbie continues. And Mattel says really, Barbie, though is a blank canvas. She can be whatever you want her to be.

BROWN: By the way, I love reporter Barbie's accessories. That necklace is so cool.

MATTINGLY: That's exactly what I was thinking, too.

BROWN: I want that.

MATTINGLY: The same exact thing.

BROWN: Obviously.

MATTINGLY: Vanessa Yurkevich, great piece.

YURKEVICH: Thank you.

MATTINGLY: Great props.

YURKEVICH: Thank you.

MATTINGLY: Thank you.

We'll be right back.

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